66 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



the ditches, and diminifhing the number of his enemies 

 by death, although not without the utmoft peril to his 

 own perfon and his people ; for he was nearly made a 

 prifoner, when he was relieved by his own foldiers, and 

 his troops were fometimes obliged to efcape the fury of 

 the enemy by flight. Some Spaniards and allies perifli- 

 ed in thofe encounters, and two brigantines were almoll 

 captured by a fleet of canoes ; but a third coming up to 

 their afliflance, extricated them from the danger. 



In thofe entries feveral Spanifh women made them- 

 felves famous by their bravery (jf) : they voluntarily 

 accompanied their hufbands to war, and, from the con- 

 tinual hardfliips they underwent and the examples of 

 valour which they had always before their eyes, were in 

 a manner become foldiers : they kept guard, marched 

 along with their huibands, armed with bread-plates of 

 cotton, fliields, and fwords, and threw themfelves intre- 

 pidly into the midfl of the enemy, adding in fpite of their 

 fex to the number of the befiegers. 



On the twenty-fourth of July they made a new entry 

 into the city with a greater number of troops than on 

 the preceding days ; and, vigoroufiy best on conquefr, 

 the Spaniards at laft got poffeffion of that road by which 

 the large road of Iztapalapan communicated with that 

 of Tlacopan ; the objecl which Cortes had fo ardently 

 longed to accomplifh, for the free communication of his 

 with the camp of Alvarado. They took by aflault and 

 afterwards filled up feveral ditches, and burned and de- 

 ftroyed many buildings ; among others, a palace of king 

 Quauhtemotzin, which was a vafl and flrong edifice fur- 

 rounded 



(q) Thofe women were Maria de Eftrada, whofe courage we have former- 

 ly mentioned, Beatrice Bermudez de Valafco, Juanna Martin, Elizabeta Ro- 

 deriguez, and Beatrice Palacios. 



